My 14" GTI alloy wheels with 185x14 tires weighed less than 13" steel
wheels with 185s. Some alloy wheels are light and some are heavy. It
looks like those wheels are less than 28 lbs. You can remove one of
your wheels and weigh it. The only mystery is how much the tire you
choose will weigh.

"Fred Fartalot" > wrote:

>Yes, I know Golfs come standard with 15 inch wheels in the US and Canada -
>mine were upgraded to 16 inch German wheels.
>
>Yes, I know the original intent of alloy wheels was light weight and this is
>a marketing angle for selling them and that lots of alloy wheels are
>actually heavier than the steel wheels they replace.
>
>Yes, I know alloy wheels are more prone to damage and cost more than steel
>wheels and might be hard to replace in kind if needed down the road.
>
>Thanks for the replies so far and its all interesting, but who will finally
>get the big prize for answering my question?
>
>Fred
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"Fred Fartalot" > wrote in message
link.net...
>>
>> I am thinking of replacing the stock 16 inch steel wheels on my 2004 Golf
>> with 16 inch alloy RAVE wheels.
>>
>> Will the new alloy wheels be heavier or lighter weight?
>>
>> I asked the VW dealer last week and the 2 guys there argued about it and I
>> never got an answer and finally just left.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>>
>> maybe the weigh exactly the same?....
>>
>


Jim B.

I'm thinking you've never hit a REAL pothole say in teh midwest or the
northeast with an alloy wheel. It can put such a flat spot in a rim there
is no way you can ever fix them. I've probably bought 6-8 rims in the last
15 years for my 1985 GTI....

Typically alloys do weigh less, but it should be easy to get the weight of
the wheel you want to use, and not that hard to weigh one of the ones you
have and subtract the tire weight.
"Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
...
> Joseph Meehan wrote:
>
> > Fred Fartalot wrote:
> >
> >>I am thinking of replacing the stock 16 inch steel wheels on my 2004
> >>Golf with 16 inch alloy RAVE wheels.
> >>
> >>Will the new alloy wheels be heavier or lighter weight?
> >>
> >>I asked the VW dealer last week and the 2 guys there argued about it
> >>and I never got an answer and finally just left.
> >>
> >>Thank you.
> >>
> >>
> >>maybe the weigh exactly the same?....
> >
> >
> > I think that may depend on the particular alloy wheels you are
talking
> > about. The idea behind the first alloy wheels is their reduced weight.
> > However I suspect that many today are heavier than the steel wheels they
are
> > replacing.
> >
> > Do consider that alloy wheels are more prone to damage and leaks
than
> > steel wheels. If you are in a pothole area this can be an important
issue.
> > One pothole and you may be looking for a new wheel. Finding a new one
in a
> > few years to match the other three could be impossible.
> >
>
> They can, however be repaired if necessary. There's a shop near me that
> fixed some really ugly lip damage on one of my GTI wheels for about $100
> IIRC. They also restored some old BBS mesh wheels for me that had been
> both bent and curb surfed for about $300 a pair.
>
> nate
>
> --
> replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
> http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

I'm thinking you've never hit a REAL pothole say in teh midwest or the
northeast with an alloy wheel. It can put such a flat spot in a rim there
is no way you can ever fix them. I've probably bought 6-8 rims in the last
15 years for my 1985 GTI....

Typically alloys do weigh less, but it should be easy to get the weight of
the wheel you want to use, and not that hard to weigh one of the ones you
have and subtract the tire weight.
"Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
...
> Joseph Meehan wrote:
>
> > Fred Fartalot wrote:
> >
> >>I am thinking of replacing the stock 16 inch steel wheels on my 2004
> >>Golf with 16 inch alloy RAVE wheels.
> >>
> >>Will the new alloy wheels be heavier or lighter weight?
> >>
> >>I asked the VW dealer last week and the 2 guys there argued about it
> >>and I never got an answer and finally just left.
> >>
> >>Thank you.
> >>
> >>
> >>maybe the weigh exactly the same?....
> >
> >
> > I think that may depend on the particular alloy wheels you are
talking
> > about. The idea behind the first alloy wheels is their reduced weight.
> > However I suspect that many today are heavier than the steel wheels they
are
> > replacing.
> >
> > Do consider that alloy wheels are more prone to damage and leaks
than
> > steel wheels. If you are in a pothole area this can be an important
issue.
> > One pothole and you may be looking for a new wheel. Finding a new one
in a
> > few years to match the other three could be impossible.
> >
>
> They can, however be repaired if necessary. There's a shop near me that
> fixed some really ugly lip damage on one of my GTI wheels for about $100
> IIRC. They also restored some old BBS mesh wheels for me that had been
> both bent and curb surfed for about $300 a pair.
>
> nate
>
> --
> replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
> http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

I think that it absolutely depends upon the alloy and the model but I
do know from experience that upgrading with VW factory alloys weighs
heavy on the wallet. Here's a 15" alternative to save you some dough in
2005!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ADME:B:LC:MT:1

I think that it absolutely depends upon the alloy and the model but I
do know from experience that upgrading with VW factory alloys weighs
heavy on the wallet. Here's a 15" alternative to save you some dough in
2005!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ADME:B:LC:MT:1

Oh hell yes I have. Actually the BBS mesh wheels I referred to below
were so mangled I thought they were unrepairable, I was given a set of 4
for free I was going to keep the two good ones and chuck the other two
but the wheel shop (Ye Old Wheel Shop, Elkridge, MD) fixed 'em right up.
I was impressed.

nate

Biz wrote:

> I'm thinking you've never hit a REAL pothole say in teh midwest or the
> northeast with an alloy wheel. It can put such a flat spot in a rim there
> is no way you can ever fix them. I've probably bought 6-8 rims in the last
> 15 years for my 1985 GTI....
>
> Typically alloys do weigh less, but it should be easy to get the weight of
> the wheel you want to use, and not that hard to weigh one of the ones you
> have and subtract the tire weight.
> "Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Joseph Meehan wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Fred Fartalot wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am thinking of replacing the stock 16 inch steel wheels on my 2004
>>>>Golf with 16 inch alloy RAVE wheels.
>>>>
>>>>Will the new alloy wheels be heavier or lighter weight?
>>>>
>>>>I asked the VW dealer last week and the 2 guys there argued about it
>>>>and I never got an answer and finally just left.
>>>>
>>>>Thank you.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>maybe the weigh exactly the same?....
>>>
>>>
>>> I think that may depend on the particular alloy wheels you are
>
> talking
>
>>>about. The idea behind the first alloy wheels is their reduced weight.
>>>However I suspect that many today are heavier than the steel wheels they
>
> are
>
>>>replacing.
>>>
>>> Do consider that alloy wheels are more prone to damage and leaks
>
> than
>
>>>steel wheels. If you are in a pothole area this can be an important
>
> issue.
>
>>>One pothole and you may be looking for a new wheel. Finding a new one
>
> in a
>
>>>few years to match the other three could be impossible.
>>>
>>
>>They can, however be repaired if necessary. There's a shop near me that
>>fixed some really ugly lip damage on one of my GTI wheels for about $100
>>IIRC. They also restored some old BBS mesh wheels for me that had been
>>both bent and curb surfed for about $300 a pair.
>>
>>nate
>>
>>--
>>replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
>>http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel
>
>
>


--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Oh hell yes I have. Actually the BBS mesh wheels I referred to below
were so mangled I thought they were unrepairable, I was given a set of 4
for free I was going to keep the two good ones and chuck the other two
but the wheel shop (Ye Old Wheel Shop, Elkridge, MD) fixed 'em right up.
I was impressed.

nate

Biz wrote:

> I'm thinking you've never hit a REAL pothole say in teh midwest or the
> northeast with an alloy wheel. It can put such a flat spot in a rim there
> is no way you can ever fix them. I've probably bought 6-8 rims in the last
> 15 years for my 1985 GTI....
>
> Typically alloys do weigh less, but it should be easy to get the weight of
> the wheel you want to use, and not that hard to weigh one of the ones you
> have and subtract the tire weight.
> "Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Joseph Meehan wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Fred Fartalot wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am thinking of replacing the stock 16 inch steel wheels on my 2004
>>>>Golf with 16 inch alloy RAVE wheels.
>>>>
>>>>Will the new alloy wheels be heavier or lighter weight?
>>>>
>>>>I asked the VW dealer last week and the 2 guys there argued about it
>>>>and I never got an answer and finally just left.
>>>>
>>>>Thank you.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>maybe the weigh exactly the same?....
>>>
>>>
>>> I think that may depend on the particular alloy wheels you are
>
> talking
>
>>>about. The idea behind the first alloy wheels is their reduced weight.
>>>However I suspect that many today are heavier than the steel wheels they
>
> are
>
>>>replacing.
>>>
>>> Do consider that alloy wheels are more prone to damage and leaks
>
> than
>
>>>steel wheels. If you are in a pothole area this can be an important
>
> issue.
>
>>>One pothole and you may be looking for a new wheel. Finding a new one
>
> in a
>
>>>few years to match the other three could be impossible.
>>>
>>
>>They can, however be repaired if necessary. There's a shop near me that
>>fixed some really ugly lip damage on one of my GTI wheels for about $100
>>IIRC. They also restored some old BBS mesh wheels for me that had been
>>both bent and curb surfed for about $300 a pair.
>>
>>nate
>>
>>--
>>replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
>>http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel
>
>
>


--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Do VW steel wheels or alloy wheels weigh more?
 

replying to Fred Fartalot, Lars L Tomasson wrote:
I am pretty sure you will find the steel rims are lighter. Especially if you
eliminate the hub caps. I weighed the 16" wheels for my 2015 passat and
found the steel wheels were about 5lbs!!! lighter than the alloy. The allow
wheels are made very thick for safety.

--
for full context, visit https://www.motorsforum.com/vw/do-vw...ore-21329-.htm